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Spinach & Tomato Red Lentil Dal (Indian Soup)

Spinach & Tomato Red Lentil Dal (Indian Soup) brings creamy red lentils together with gentle heat, earthy cumin and mustard seeds, and the freshness of tomatoes and cilantro. Wilted spinach adds a mellow, green note that rounds out the aromatic broth. Serve it as a cozy weeknight dinner or a satisfying lunch alongside rice or warm flatbread.

  • Prep20 mins
  • Cook1 hr 30 mins
  • Serves4
  • DifficultyEasy
Spinach & Tomato Red Lentil Dal (Indian Soup)

easyChef Pro health score

Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Spinach & Tomato Red Lentil Dal (Indian Soup), not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.

64 Health Score
Glycemic ImpactFair
65 / 100
Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
Nutritional DensityPoor
32 / 100
Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
Energy DensityGood
100 / 100
Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
NOVA Unprocessed or minimally processed
1 / 4
Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.

How it scores for each health goal

The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.

75
Heart Health
51
Metabolic
56
Digestive
34
Inflammatory
41
Performance
62
General Wellness
  1. 1

    In a saucepan, bring 4 cups water and lentils to a boil; stir in salt. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Skim off any foam that appears; keep simmering until the lentils are tender, about 1 hour.

  2. 2

    In a separate saucepan, heat oil. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds; cook until they begin to splatter, 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion, garlic, and turmeric; cook, stirring, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in spinach, tomato, and cayenne pepper; cook until the spinach wilts and the tomato is tender, about 5 minutes.

  3. 3

    Stir the cooked lentils and cilantro into the spinach mixture; bring it to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt and water to your preference.

About This Recipe

Spinach & Tomato Red Lentil Dal (Indian Soup) is made with 12 ingredients and serves 4. It takes about 1 hr 50 mins and is rated easy. Key ingredients include Cayenne Pepper, Chopped Spinach, Fresh Cilantro, and Garlic. Each serving provides about 226.63 kcal, and is a good source of fiber.

Recipe Questions

What is Spinach & Tomato Red Lentil Dal (Indian Soup) made of?
The main ingredients are Cayenne Pepper, Chopped Spinach, Fresh Cilantro, Garlic, Ground Turmeric. The full list of 12 is above.
How long does it take to make Spinach & Tomato Red Lentil Dal (Indian Soup)?
About 1 hr 50 mins in total: 20 mins to prepare and 1 hr 30 mins to cook.
How many calories are in one serving?
One serving provides about 226.63 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
Is Spinach & Tomato Red Lentil Dal (Indian Soup) easy to make?
This recipe is rated easy, with 12 ingredients and 3 steps.
Is Spinach & Tomato Red Lentil Dal (Indian Soup) healthy?
Spinach & Tomato Red Lentil Dal (Indian Soup) has an easyChef Pro health score of 64/100. Per serving, it provides 226.63 calories and 7.51 g of protein, or 15% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of dietary fiber and iron. Worth noting per serving: saturated fat at 1.55 g (8% of the Daily Value) and added sugars at 9.96 g (20% of the Daily Value). It contains Mustard, Tomatoes, Garlic and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.

How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products

easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.

The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.

Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.

For recipes, changing an ingredient, quantity or serving size changes the nutrition and may change the score. Remix the recipe in easyChef Pro to calculate fresh nutrition and scores for the version you actually make. Product scores are based on the nutrition and serving information associated with that specific product.

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